Edom is frequently spoken of in the prophets. This people, who,
as well as Jacob, were descended from Isaac, had an inveterate
hatred to the posterity of the younger son who were favoured as
the people of Jehovah. Psalm 137 tells of this hatred in the
seventh verse. In Psalm 83 Edom forms a part of the last
confederacy against Jerusalem, the object of which was to cut off
the name of Israel from the earth. Ezekiel 35 dwells upon this
perpetual hatred, shewn from the first in the refusal to give them
a passage through the land, and upon the desire of Edom to possess
the land of Israel. Our prophet enlarges upon the details of the
manifestation of this hatred, which burst forth when Jerusalem was
taken. It is possible that there was something of this sort when
Jerusalem was taken by Nebuchadnezzar. Edom is united with Babylon
in Psalm 137 as the inveterate enemy of Jerusalem.

Their future attitude and complete destruction: the armies of
the nations to be assembled in Edom's land

But it is evident that the prophecy extends to other
events. Jerusalem shall again be attacked by these Gentiles, who
seek to satiate their hatred to the city of Jehovah, and to
gratify their ambitious purposes. Edom plays a sorrowful part on
this occasion, and its judgment is proportioned to its sin. The
nation is entirely cut off. When the rest of the world rejoice,
the desolation of Edom shall be complete. Edom had purposed to
take advantage of the attack of the nations upon Jerusalem, to
possess itself of the land, and had united with them to take part
in the attack, by lying in wait -- as was natural to a people
whose habits were those of the Arab tribes -- to cut off the
retreat of the fugitives, laying hands, when possible, on their
substance, and giving them up also to their enemies. The men of
Edom knew not that the day of Jehovah was upon all the nations,
and that this conduct would but bring down an especial curse on
their own heads. Their judgment is thus described: God takes away
their wisdom, their pride deceives them, their strength fails
them, in order that they may be entirely cut off. We have seen
them joining the last confederacy against Jerusalem, and taking
part in the destruction of that city. But it appears that their
confederates deceive them (v. 7); and Edom, thus ill-treated by
former allies, become "small among the heathen" (v. 1,
2). The nations are the first instruments of Jehovah's vengeance.
But another and yet more terrible event is linked with the name of
Edom, or Idumea, and is the occasion of Jehovah's judgment falling
upon that people. It is in Edom that the armies of the nations
will be assembled in the last days. We have the account of this in
Isaiah 34 and 63. See Isaiah 34: 5, 6, the rest of the chapter
displaying the judgment of desolation in the strongest possible
language. Isaiah 63 shews us Jehovah Himself returning from the
judgment, having trodden the winepress alone. Of the peoples there
were none with Him.

Edom's judgment reserved for Israel as Jehovah's instrument

Finally, Israel itself shall be an instrument in the hand of
Jehovah for the judgment of Esau (Obad. 18). The destruction in
Isaiah relates especially to the armies of the nations, which, in
their movements, find themselves assembled in Edom. The part
which Israel takes in the judgment is on the people in general;
and, I suppose, afterwards, when Christ is at their head as the
Messiah (compare v. 17, 18); and Isaiah 11: 14 appears to confirm
this view of the passage. At all events it takes place after
Israel's blessing.

Complete destruction predicted by other prophets

That none shall be left of Edom is also declared in Obadiah 5,
6, 9, 18; Jeremiah 49: 9, 10-22; and it will be observed that
there is no restoration of a remnant, as in the case of Elam and
others (Jer. 49: 39). A part of the latter prophecy establishes
the same facts as that of Obadiah, in nearly the same words. The
same judgment is pronounced in Ezekiel 35, and in Isaiah 34,
already quoted. We see in these chapters, as well as in Isaiah
63, that it is the controversy of Jerusalem, that Jehovah pleads
with Edom (Ezek. 35: 12; Isaiah 34: 8; 63: 4). In these passages
Jehovah does not forget His thoughts of love towards Zion and His
people.

The effect of God's call to repentance, of His unchangeable
faithfulness and unwearying love: deliverance upon Mount Zion

He closes the prophecy of Obadiah with the testimony of the
effect of His call to repentance, of His unchangeable
faithfulness to His promises and unwearying love. Power and might
against those formidable enemies should be given to Israel, who
should in peace possess the territory which their enemies had
invaded. Deliverance should be on Mount Zion; from thence Mount
Esau should be judged, and the kingdom should be Jehovah's. As
corrupt power had been judged in Babylon, so in Edom hatred to
the people of God.